Huang Zhibin

An avirulent Micropterus salmoides rhabdovirus vaccine candidate protects Chinese perch against rhabdovirus infection

ABSTRACT In order to develop live vaccine against Siniperca chuatsi rhabdovirus (SCRV) disease, an avirulent virus strain, designed as Micropterus salmoides rhabdovirus Sanshui (MSRV‐SS), was selected from six fish rhabdovirus isolates (SCRV‐QYSymbol SCRV‐SSSymbol SCRV‐GMSymbol CMRV‐FSSymbol OMBRV‐JMSymbol MSRV‐SS) by fish challenge assay. When Chinese perch (Siniperca chuatsi) were intraperitoneally injected live virus strain MSRV‐SS, they were completely protected from virulent SCRV‐GM challenge with a relative percent survival (RPS) of 100% on 18th day post vaccination. Then, the wild type MSRV‐SS was purified by plaque clone assays, and the biological characteristics of the clonal strain designed as MSRV‐SS‐7 were investigated. The MSRV‐SS‐7 was avirulent to Chinese perch and its growth characteristic was similar to the MSRV‐SS. The immune protection effects of clonal MSRV‐SS‐7 against virulent SCRV‐GM were evaluated by intraperitoneal injection (IP) vaccination and immersion (IM) vaccination, their RPSs were all 100%. Altogether, these results indicate that MSRV‐SS‐7 is a potential live vaccine candidate against SCRV disease. Figure. No caption available. HighlightsA natural rhabdoviruses avirulent strain MSRV‐SS was picked out and its antigenicity was determined.The clonal strain MSRV‐SS‐7 was obtained by plaque purification and its bio‐characteristics were determined.Live MSRV‐SS‐7 protected Chinese perch against virulent SCRV by intraperitoneal injection or immersion immunization.